Idaho lawmaker draws national attention
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BOISE — A Northern Idaho lawmaker drew the attention of national media Monday, after receiving a brief lesson on female anatomy during a hearing on anti-abortion legislation.
The Spokesman-Review reports Rep. Vito Barbieri, R-Dalton Gardens, asked if a woman could swallow a small camera for doctors to conduct remote gynecological exams.
“Dr. Julie Madsen, who was testifying in opposition to legislation, said no, explaining, ‘When you swallow a pill, it would not end up in the vagina,'” according to the media report. “Fascinating, that certainly makes sense, doctor,” Barbieri replied.
The conversation took place during a legislative hearing on a bill aimed at adding restrictions to medication-induced abortions in Idaho. The goal of the proposed law is to prevent procedures from occurring via telemedicine.
Telemedicine is the technology and process of delivering medical consultations via video conference over the Internet.
Barbieri later told The Spokesman-Review his question had been rhetorical, because Madsen had just described how a tiny camera can be swallowed as part of a colonoscopy procedure. “She was drawing a parallel between a colonoscopy and how much more dangerous it was than a chemical abortion,” Barbieri told The Spokesman-Review. “So, I was trying to draw out the distinctions.”
The news story garnered significant response on social media across the country. The story also was picked up national media including the Huffington Post and Fox News. It was also distributed internationally via the Associated Press.
Information used in this report was originally reported in The Spokesman-Review. Read the original article here.